As a college student, are you concerned that your knowledge alone won’t be enough to impress potential employers? Do you feel you lack the necessary hands-on technical skills to secure a job? Maybe you’ve thought of an engineering solution for a problem in your school or community but are unsure how to take the next step.
I struggled to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application. But when you combine academic knowledge with practical projects that solve a societal problem with technology, you can ace any interview.
You don’t have to navigate the journey alone. Here are some lessons I learned as a student.
Speeding up checkout lines and accounting processes
I’m a cloud support engineer at a company in Hyderabad, India. I’m also an active IEEE volunteer as one of its young professionals, an impact creator, and a brand ambassador.
In my role as impact creator, I share my insights on engineering, computing, and technology with the news media to highlight trends and consumer habits. As a brand ambassador, I educate students and professionals on how to display IEEE branding on websites, newsletters, banners, event materials, and other items.
When I was in my first semester as a computer engineering student at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, in New Delhi, I became frustrated by the long lines to check books in and out of the library of the affiliated college, the HMR Institute of Technology and Management. Even getting a new library card took a long time. I was determined to solve the problem.
For six months, I singlehandedly developed a software program to scan student ID cards and speed up the processes. I received the school’s first Technocrat Award for my efforts.
Word got out about my programming skills, and I received many requests to help solve other problems. An intriguing one was from the director of India’s largest national broadcasting company, All India Radio. I was asked to streamline its accounting process. At the time, the company used only Microsoft Excel along with a pen-and-paper system. It took me just six months to build a full-stack accounting software program to make the process significantly more efficient.
“When you combine academic knowledge with practical projects that solve a societal problem with technology, you can ace any interview.”
That opportunity was a big break for me. The technology I created redefined the broadcaster’s operations and could be used in its other offices, expanding my reach.
In my first corporate job interview after graduating from university, the interviewer was surprised to learn that I’d published 15 research papers, completed 15 projects, and even had a pending patent application. (The government has since granted the patent.)
The human resources representative and the technical-round interviewer weren’t expecting a recent graduate to have research published, and they were impressed. I was excited to see their reactions.
Students need to understand the importance of doing something exceptional beyond learning theory and concepts. Having practical skills before leaving school is a great way to set yourself apart from other new engineering graduates.
Ask the right questions
Before taking on any new projects, I ask myself five simple questions. They might seem obvious, but some of the details are often forgotten. Even as a student, when you start working with clients, you must have a process for gathering the information you need.
When it comes to getting the correct information, I focus on the five W’s: who, what, why, when, and where.
- Who uses the current model?
- What are its features?
- Why is the current model insufficient?
- When is the right time to deploy the new solution?
- Where should it be deployed?
Once I get those answers, I begin using design thinking to strategize.
My clients generally are looking to improve existing solutions rather than starting from scratch. I must know what is and isn’t working with the current program.
Remember that although the process might be easy for you, it might be new for your client.
Here are what I consider to be the five stages of the process.
Understand the problem. Once you identify the client’s issue, the next step is to listen to the client in full without making judgments. You need to really understand the pain points and why the current application isn’t working. Listen fully, ask questions, and try to empathize with the client’s issues.
Research and ideation. Do your own research. It’s essential to conduct field research to better understand the client’s requirements. One of my projects was to help farmers secure loans directly from the Indian government, rather than go through loan service agencies and banks. The farmers were frustrated over how long it took to get loans. While doing my research, I was shocked by the high fees the agencies charged to process the necessary paperwork.
I wouldn’t have learned about that from just reading research papers. You have to explore your client’s pain points.
Next, start brainstorming. Consider how you can improve the current model. Maybe you should conduct research to find other products that might solve the problem. Also consider redesigning the current version. Let yourself think of as many ideas as possible, then review them with your client and request feedback.
That can give you a clear idea of what the client likes about the options, and it can help you better direct the rest of your research and ideation.
Technology research and prototyping. By this stage, you’ve created a short list of ideas to address your client’s pain points. Next, research all the technologies you need to use. If you need training, use learning platforms such as Coursera, EdX, the IEEE Learning Network, Udacity, and Udemy.
Once you identify and learn the technology needed, it’s time to create the first prototype.
Test and improve. Test the prototype, gather feedback from your client while you take meticulous notes, and then revise it according to the feedback.
That helps you understand what improvements are needed and helps identify gaps in your model. It gets you closer to the client’s requirements. Use the information to refine the design and build the product.
It is important to note that this stage might go through multiple iterations. You might have to continue to improve the results until the design works for the client. Refer back often to your original notes on the pain points to ensure you haven’t forgotten anything in the final design.
Protect your intellectual property. Many students and young professionals skip the important step of safeguarding their idea such as copyrighting it, publishing a paper, or filing a patent. I have seen many students who present their ideas at hackathons and competitions and assume that receiving cash prizes is enough to list on their résumé. They really should protect their ideas.
Get involved with IEEE
After speaking at more than 1,000 IEEE workshops and other events in more than 25 countries, I’m concerned that students aren’t using their technical knowledge to its fullest potential. To learn more about how to use your time and skills as a new engineer, view my YouTube channel.
Don’t wait for an opportunity to knock on your door. Create your own opportunities by participating in IEEE technical and nontechnical events and getting involved with the organization’s student service-learning program, EPICS in IEEE.
The participation, volunteering, and networking (PVN) model of IEEE—which I coined—works.
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